It is often desirable to provide various devices such as pots, pans, and other vessels, for example, with a handle structure which will allow the device and particularly the contents therein to be heated without desirably heating the handle. This is particularly desirable in connection with devices to be used in a microwave environment.
It has become common practice to prepare hot foods, beverages and the like by subjecting them to microwave radiation in a microwave oven. Foods can be heated by merely placing them on or in conventional dishware. Beverages such as coffee, tea or the like can also be placed in conventional pots or similar containers for heating in a microwave oven.
However, it is well known that metal objects should not usually be placed in a microwave oven for the reason that the metal will absorb some of the microwave energy and consequently itself become heated and will also reflect some of the microwave energy in a manner which could cause damage to parts of the oven. Thus, it has become very difficult to design handles for glass, plastic or ceramic utensils or appliances which are to be used in a microwave environment. Most handles of conventional type are of metal or use metal components such as screws to secure the handles to the utensils.
In addition, in dealing with materials commonly used in the manufacture of utensils, such as glass and plastics which are transparent to microwaves, for example, a wide difference in thermal expansions is also encountered. By coupling the thermal expansion differences with the normally very wide manufacturing tolerances found in glass fabrication, the problems are compounded.